You track a container from India with its container number or the bill of lading number, entered on the shipping line's website or your forwarder's tracking page. Ask the supplier for both as soon as the container is loaded, along with the vessel name and voyage.
Tracking shows each event: gate in at the port, loading on the vessel, transhipment, discharge and gate out. It is not always updated in real time, so treat it as a guide. If you buy FOB, your own forwarder controls the booking and usually gives the best tracking. Under CFR or CIF, the supplier's forwarder holds it, so ask for regular updates.
The numbers you need
- Container number: four letters followed by seven digits. The first three letters identify the owner, and the last digit is a check digit. It is painted on the doors and shown on the packing list and bill of lading.
- Bill of lading number, issued by the shipping line or forwarder.
- Booking number, which works on many line websites before the bill of lading is issued.
- Vessel name and voyage number, which you can follow on public vessel tracking sites.
- Seal number, for checking against the seal on the doors at arrival.
The stages you will see
- Empty container collected from the depot.
- Full container gated in at the Indian port or a container freight station.
- Export customs cleared and container loaded on the vessel.
- Transhipment at a hub port, where many India cargoes change vessels.
- Discharge at the destination port, then customs release and gate out.
- Empty container returned to the depot.
Watch for these
If the container sits at a transhipment port longer than planned, ask your forwarder for the connecting vessel. Rolled cargo is common in busy periods and can add a week or more. If the container shows as not loaded on the expected vessel, ask the supplier at once.
The loaded on board date on the bill of lading is the shipment date for your contract and letter of credit. Check it against the latest shipment date you agreed.
Planning arrival
Use the estimated arrival to time your payment, document release and customs filing. Late originals cause many demurrage bills, as covered in the demurrage and detention risk. Your forwarder will send an arrival notice, but do not wait for it if tracking already shows the vessel close.
For temperature-controlled loads, see how to monitor a reefer container.
How we help
We send you the container, seal and booking numbers on the day of loading and follow up with the supplier until the bill of lading is issued. If the container misses its vessel, we tell you and chase the new sailing. Ask for a free sourcing review.